New Interactive Google Doodle Lets You Become A DJ To Celebrate The Birth Of Hip-Hop

Even Russell Simmons is getting in on the fun.

We always love the themed Google Doodles that regularly appear on the search engine's home page, but today's offering is especially fun. Not only does it offer a lesson in music history — it also gives you a chance to flex your creative muscles.

The interactive Doodle marks the 44th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop. When you press play on the Google homepage, you're greeted by an animated version of hip-hop icon Fab 5 Freddy, who tells the story of a DJ named Kool Herc, who invented the "break" on this day in the Bronx in 1973.

"Using two turntables, he extended the instrumental breaks, allowing people to dance longer — a style that came to be known as break dancing," Freddy explains. "Next came the MC, or the Master of Ceremony, who added rhymes over the beat to get the party going and flowing."

Once you've heard the history, the Doodle moves into the interactive portion, where you're given two turntables and a crate full of records — from artists such as DeBarge, Prince Paul, Betty Wright, and many more. After a brief tutorial from Freddy, you're given the chance to mix your own beats and even scratch. Throughout the game, you can unlock goals, which come with mini history lessons of their own.

The Doodle has received a positive response from many on Twitter, including legendary hip-hop producer Russell Simmons.

In fact, Billboard reports that Cey Adams, the creative director of Simmons' Def Jam Records, helped conceive the Doodle — along with others, including YouTube's Global Head of Music Lyor Cohen (also the former head of Def Jam), who shared his thoughts on hip-hop's impact:

Hip Hop was disruptive. Ultimately, to me, it shows that people in any situation have the ability to create something powerful and meaningful. The progression of this culture and sound - from Kool Herc spinning James Brown breaks at a block party to Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Drake being some of the biggest forces in music 44 years later - is something that few people at that first party could have anticipated.

According to Billboard, this Doodle debuted at midnight on Friday and will stay up for 40 hours. But don't worry — if you don't get a chance to try your hand at the tables in that time, Google archives its Doodles to revisit later.